Tanay, April 8 -- A ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official on Tuesday said the country's maritime domain awareness (MDA) capability must be developed further before it can conduct comprehensive archipelagic defense operations.

In an interview at the 2nd Infantry Division headquarters at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said MDA is a priority of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

He said air, land, sea, and space-based platforms for MDA purposes are being looked into and acquired by the AFP.

Trinidad said the MDA will provide the AFP with critical information on who is intruding or entering the Philippines' vast maritime territories.

"Before we go ...